Needle-less vial assembly for use with needle-free system

Abstract

A needle-less vial assembly that includes an assembly body arranged at least partially within a neck of a vial, the body having a first portion within the vial for receiving a substance, a second portion that includes a means for matingly engaging with a syringe, and a channel defined therein, thereby enabling fluid communication of the substance between the vial and the syringe. The assembly further including a first inlet arranged longitudinally along a length of the first portion and proximate to the second portion, wherein the first inlet enables fluid communication between an interior of the vial and the channel, thereby enabling withdrawal of substantially all of the substance within the vial, and an outlet arranged at an end of the second portion of the body, thereby enabling a needle-less transfer of substances between the channel and the syringe.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A needle-less vial assembly, comprising:
 an assembly body arranged at least partially within a neck of a vial, the body having a first portion within the vial for receiving a substance, a second portion that includes a means for matingly engaging with a syringe, and a channel defined therein, thereby enabling fluid communication of the substance between the vial and the syringe;   a first inlet arranged longitudinally along a length of the first portion and proximate to the second portion, wherein the first inlet enables fluid communication between an interior of the vial and the channel, thereby enabling withdrawal of substantially all of the substance within the vial; and   an outlet arranged at an end of the second portion of the body, thereby enabling a needle-less transfer of substances between the channel and the syringe.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a second inlet arranged at the end of the first portion, thereby enabling increased accuracy and speed of substance draw and removal from the vial. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1  comprising a plurality of first inlets arranged circumferentially about the first portion, thereby enabling increased accuracy and speed of substance draw and removal from the vial. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the assembly further includes a means for sealingly engaging the body to the neck of the vial. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the means for matingly engaging with the syringe comprise one of a luer-lock or luer-slip engagement between the second portion of the assembly body and the syringe. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the second portion is a female luer which includes tabs, and the syringe includes a threaded male luer portion. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a means for enabling the substance to be withdrawn from the vial only when a syringe is matingly engaged to the second portion of the body. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the means includes a plunger, spring, and spring retainer. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a securing cap for securing the assembly body to the vial via a plurality of arms coupled to the security cap which engage with the annular lip. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising an assembly cover which covers the second portion of the vial assembly and the securing cap, thereby preventing mating of the syringe with the second portion. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 1 , the assembly body further comprising a shoulder, wherein the shoulder is arranged adjacent to an annular lip of the vial. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the vial is one of a size of 1, 2, 5, 10, or 20 cc vial. 
     
     
         13 . A needle-less method for removing a substance from a vial, comprising:
 providing a vial containing a substance therein, the vial having a neck and a vial assembly arranged at least partially within the neck, the vial assembly comprising:
 a first portion within the vial for receiving the substance, a second portion that includes a means for matingly engaging with a syringe, and a channel defined therein, thereby enabling fluid communication of the substance between the vial and the syringe; 
 a first inlet arranged longitudinally along a length of the first portion and proximate to the second portion, wherein the first inlet enables fluid communication between an interior of the vial and the channel, thereby enabling withdrawal of substantially all of the substance within the vial; 
 an outlet arranged at an end of the second portion of the body, thereby enabling a needle-less transfer of the substance between the channel and the syringe; 
   matingly engaging the syringe to the second portion of the vial assembly; and   moving a plunger of the syringe in a first direction, thereby drawing the substance from the vial into the syringe via the first inlet and channel.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first portion of the assembly further comprises a second inlet arrange at the end, and wherein the substance is at least partially drawn through the second inlet towards the syringe. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the assembly further comprises a plurality of first inlets arranged circumferentially about the first portion, thereby enabling increased accuracy and speed of substance draw and removal from the vial. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising employing a means for sealingly engaging the body to the neck of the vial. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the means for matingly engaging with the syringe comprise one of a luer-lock or luer-slip engagement between the second portion of the assembly body and the syringe. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the second portion is a female luer which includes tabs, and the syringe includes a threaded male luer. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising a means for enabling the substance to be withdrawn from the vial only when a syringe is matingly engaged to the second portion of the body, the means comprising a plunger, a spring, and a spring retainer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the assembly body is arranged at least partially within the neck of the vial by a manufacturer after the substance have been deposited within the vial.